The present invention relates in general to methods and devices for treating fuels prior to combustion in order to increase combustion efficiency and thereby reduce exhaust emissions.
It has long been an objective of many individuals within different industries to develop devices and methods for improving the combustion efficiency of hydrocarbon fuel burning systems. A major breakthrough in improving fuel efficiency was the development of a fuel catalyst described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,359 that could be used to treat fuel prior to combustion. While the fuel catalyst has proven to be effective, the underlying mechanism of operation has not been previously understood. It is therefore an object of the present invention to determine the underlying mechanism of operation of the fuel catalyst so that additional catalysts can be analytically developed.
The invention is based on the discovery of what is believed to be the underlying mechanism that causes a fuel catalyst to improve combustion efficiency due to the liberation of hydrogen from fuel. Based on the discovery of the underlying mechanism, it is possible to analytically determine formulations of new fuel catalyst elements. In a preferred embodiment, a fuel catalyst for improving combustion efficiency is provided that includes at least one hydride producing element, and at least one element of greater activity on the electrolytic scale than the hydride producing element and at least one element of lesser activity on the electrolytic scale than the hydride producing element. The hydride producing element preferably includes an element from at least one of a Group IV and Group V of the periodic table. The element of greater activity and the element of lesser activity preferably includes at least one of zinc, magnesium, aluminum, palladium, silver, copper and cerium. Preferred formulations of the catalyst element include: a) 20-60% wt antimony, 10-30% wt tin, 10-80% wt zinc and 1-5% wt silver; b) 40% wt antimony, 18% wt tin, 40% wt zinc and 2% wt silver; c) 20-60% wt antimony, 10-30% wt tin, 20-80% wt magnesium, 1-8% wt cerium and 0.1-1.0% wt palladium; d) 40% wt antimony, 25% wt tin, 30% wt magnesium, 4.8% wt cerium and 0.2% wt palladium; and e) 25% wt antimony, 25% wt tin, 39% wt zinc and 11% wt aluminum. Various mechanisms may be used to bring fuel into contact with the fuel catalyst element including in-line housings, drop-in housings, coated fuel lines and placing the fuel catalyst within fuel tanks among others.